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BGonline.org Forums
Real backgammon 61 to play
Posted By: Timothy Chow In Response To: Real backgammon 61 to play (Stick)
Date: Friday, 5 November 2010, at 10:51 p.m.
I stared at this position a long time and am still uncertain. The first main decision, in my mind, is whether to try to win going forwards by hitting Black's blots. It's certainly tempting because we can hit twice now and probably pick up the third blot soon, and bring the pip count much closer. The problem is that Black has that powerful five-prime, and it's very tough for our checkers on the 23pt to escape. If we whack away at the blots, we can keep Black busy for a few turns, but then what? We're not likely to be able to build a strong enough front position to contain Black's checkers. Black's checkers will escape and the likely scenario is that while he brings them around leisurely, we'll crunch and/or dance on the bar while he crushes us in a hopeless deuce-point game. On the other hand, our timing for a backgame is still fairly decent, even if not ideal. So I don't think going forwards is right here.
If we're going to play the backgame then we'd rather not hit, but dumping 8/2 looks horrible and I can't believe that's best. Given that we're going to hit one of Black's rear blots, hitting the one further back is better from a timing point of view, so 13/7* is the 6. Then it's either 8/7 or 6/5 for the ace. 8/7 has the advantage that it blocks Black's rear checker somewhat and might hasten the collapse of Black's prime. 6/5 has the advantage of putting a checker where we want it eventually, and we don't really care too much if we get hit. Not sure between the two; I'd probably play 13/7* 8/7 but can easily believe that 13/7* 6/5 is better.
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